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No money, no job, no benefits, what to do?

LittleKitten

So, I'm 19, unemployed and with health issues that make working harder for me, though I have tried applying for some apprenticeships, but I'm not holding much hope for it.

I live with my boyfriend and his parents, and haven't got enough National Insurance credits for the tax years 2018-2019/2019-2020.

I have very little money, but still have my own expenses to pay for, and whilst I should be entitled to ESA or JSA in the next tax year in late April 2022, my minimal savings won't last me until then, so what can I do in the meantime, are there any benefits that I can claim?

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Elysium

Apply for universal credit through their website

calcotti

Universal Credit but if you are living with your boyfriend as a couple you would both have to claim and your entitlement will depend on your joint circumstances. You can try a benefit calculator https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Depending on how your health affects you you could look at PIP.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-points-system

I don’t understand this bit

LittleKitten said:.. whilst I should be entitled to ESA or JSA in the next tax year in late April 2022, ..

What makes you think you will become eligible in April 2022?

Benefit years follow the calendar year, not the tax year. Any claim for new style ESA or new style JSA made after 2nd January 2022 will be based on NI contributions in 19-20 and 20-21.

poppy123456

In a previous thread here. https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/83804/uc-cancelled-now-i-live-with-my-boyfriend-and-his-parents-is-that-correct-can-i-do-anything#latest You said that your UC claim was cancelled, why did this happen?

Does your partner work?

LittleKitten

Yeah, he works and earns enough that it would just cancel out the claim

calcotti

poppy123456 said:

In a previous thread here. ..

I didn’t make the connection with that previous thread. Does get confusing when multiple threads are posted by same OP with different bits of information. Can lead to inappropriate advice as well as repetitive advice! I now see that PIP has been covered in previous threads too.

poppy123456

LittleKitten said:

Yeah, he works and earns enough that it would just cancel out the claim

When you live with a partner, they are meant to support you because you're living as a couple. As you're living with his parents then you won't be able to claim for any help with the rent.

LittleKitten said:

whilst I should be entitled to ESA or JSA in the next tax year in late April 2022,

Can you answer this question please. What makes you think you'll be entitled to New style ESA in 2022? If you haven't worked in the previous 2 tax years then you won't be entited to any NsESA.

poppy123456

calcotti said:

poppy123456 said:

In a previous thread here. ..
I didn’t make the connection with that previous thread. Does get confusing when multiple threads are posted by same OP with different bits of information. Can lead to inappropriate advice as well as repetitive advice! I now see that PIP has been covered in previous threads too.

Me either at first but you know me, i mostly do look back

LittleKitten

Ha, yeah, sorry that there's information split between lots of different threads; I did try to summarise all of it; I missed some of it. I'm reasonably sure I should be eligible for ESA next year as I have full contributions for 2019-2020/2020-2021 from a brief stint of working in 2019 and credits from Universal Credit and Credits-Only ESA (which is all I have right now). And I need to send some more information for my PIP tribunal that I'm waiting to get at the moment. So, I'm just trying to see if there are any benefits I can get at the moment given my current circumstances.

poppy123456

NI credits from Universal Credit are class 3 and won't entitle you to any NsESA so you can't count those. How long did you work for in 2019? was this full time, part time?

LittleKitten

Full-time for about 2 months or so, then part-time for about a month or so, from July to November.

calcotti

LittleKitten said:

Full-time for about 2 months or so, then part-time for about a month or so, from July to November.

When working part time were you earning £120/week or more?

You can check your NI record if you want to
https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

LittleKitten

It was only minimum wage for a 17-year-old at the time (£4.35 p/h) and around 21 hours a week or so, which makes it £91.35 p/w

poppy123456

LittleKitten said:

It was only minimum wage for a 17-year-old at the time (£4.35 p/h) and around 21 hours a week or so, which makes it £91.35 p/w

That's not going to be enough of NI contirbutions from working to make you eligible for NsESA payments claim next year.

LittleKitten

Right. Well, that's not great, is there any other benefits I can look at getting?

poppy123456

PIP is the only other benefit. I see back in February this year you requested the MR for your PIP decision. Thread here. https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/76640/pip-mandatory-reconsideration-letter#latest What happened about that decision? Did you get as far as Tribunal?

LittleKitten

I'm at tribunal stage, yeah. I've had one, but it was adjourned for me to get some more information from my doctors, but I'm not getting any money from it yet.

poppy123456

Well if you're successful with that then it will be backdated to the date you applied, if this is your first time claim and you didn't transfer from DLA.

calcotti

LittleKitten said:

Right. Well, that's not great, is there any other benefits I can look at getting?

We've been through all of that already. UC but you said your partner's earnings exclude you. PIP has been discussed on one of your other threads.

poppy123456

calcotti said:

LittleKitten said:

Right. Well, that's not great, is there any other benefits I can look at getting?

We've been through all of that already. UC but you said your partner's earnings exclude you. PIP has been discussed on one of your other threads.

Yes, including giving the same advice this time last year. We are clearly go round in circles.

LittleKitten

Though I know that I have been getting credits-only ESA for at least some of the time, but I'm not sure if I have enough.